Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

FALL FOOD IS MY FAVORITE! Let's just get that proclamation out of the way. I love the way it looks, smells, tastes...it's beautiful, inviting and all things wonderful! As the weather grows colder, it's so nice to know that a few staple ingredients, combined correctly, lead to a comforting, hearty, delicious dish like today's!

I had a bunch of sweet potatoes that I hadn't really decided how to use yet, so I decided to get creative. I wanted to do something other than bake them! I made a spicy black bean soup around this time last year, and wondered how the two might taste together, so I started experimenting, and I'm so pleased with the results!

I love this recipe because it's totally meatless, vegan, and vegetarian, so it's excellent for clean eating and a wonderful source of fiber and tons of good-for-you vitamins: B6, C, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, iron...and NO cholesterol! Seriously! It doesn't get healthier than this. It's also flavorful and colorful = two of my favorite things about food!

I garnished with avocado, and sliced some crusty Italian bread to dip into it to round out the meal. It's been wonderful for lunches and freezes so well for quick dinners too! Recipe adapted from The Garden Grazer.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced (I used a green pepper)
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (I used 3 small sweet potatoes)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 15 oz. can black beans, thoroughly rinsed
• 1 15 oz. can kidney beans, thoroughly rinsed (or pinto, black, etc.)
• 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Prep the veggies: Dice onion and bell pepper, peel and dice sweet potato, and mince garlic.  In a soup or stock pot over medium heat, saute onion and bell pepper until soft and fragrant; 5-7 minutes. Add sweet potato, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, and saute for 3 minutes, then add garlic and saute 1 minute (don't let the garlic burn!).

Add vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with juice. Rinse and drain the beans, and add them to the mix. Add a little more broth if desired. Increase heat and bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Adjust seasoning if needed and salt to taste; serve hot and garnish with avocado, green onions, or sour cream. Serve alone or with a thick slice of crusty bread. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts- Servings: 6 • Size: 1 cup chili • Calories: 560 • Fat: 3 g • Carbs: 101.8 g • Fiber• 24.9 g  • Protein: 35.4 g • Sugars: 8.9 g